Vampsdread
by KColl2003
Summary: Immediately after 'Chosen' Xander disappears. Five years on Giles learns that the legendary hunter Vampsdread is in fact Xander and sends Faith after him.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Vampsdread 1  
  
Rating: R (For Language later)  
  
Relationships: F/X  
  
Story: Action\Adventure  
  
Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah.  
  
E-Mail: KeithWrestle@Yahoo.Co.uk  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar.  
  
Summary: Immediately after Chosen, Xander disappears. Five years on Giles hears a rumour that an independent hunter by the name of Vampsdread might be Xander and sends Faith to track him down.  
  
Vampsdread 1  
  
"So G what was the big alert for? I was on a Caribbean beach getting sun cream rubbed on me by a local stud when you rang so it better be damn good."  
  
"Why Faith," the Head Watcher's tone held a note of wry amusement, "why does there have to be an emergency for me to call you back? After all it's always a pleasure to have your sunny personality around."  
  
Faith flipped the bird at the middle-aged man sat opposite before laughing throatily. The Head Watcher was one of perhaps a dozen people who wouldn't get a kick in the ass for talking to her like that. In the past five years, since the vanquishing of the First, she'd grown to respect and maybe even love the older man. If her own father had been like him, her life might have turned out different. "Sorry G. Jet lag."  
  
"Oh I just thought it was your unique charm," the Watcher chuckled for a second before turning serious. "Have you heard of Vampsdread?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, he's an independent. Started up about three years ago, set up five hunting groups in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Said to be a real tough mother, word is he's killed seven Masters and avoids cities with Slayers," Faith paused in her recital, a troubling thought occurring. "Hold on, if you think I'm going to start hunting independents for you, you can go to hell!"  
  
Giles shook his head; she relaxed slightly. "Calm down. As you know the Council likes to keep records on the independents, see if there are any likely candidates for Watchers or indeed if any are possibly undiscovered Slayers, Vampsdread had proven difficult to get any firm information on. However a contact managed to get in touch with a description." The Englishman began reading from the paper in front of him. "It appears that Vampsdread is military-trained. He is a black-haired male standing around six feet tall, with a muscular build in his late twenties -."  
  
"Sounds just the way I like 'em," Faith grinned, her bravado hiding her uncertainty. Where was G going with this?  
  
The Watcher looked up at her, his face grimmer than she'd seen it in a long time. "Distinctive marks include an eye-patch over his left eye."  
  
Faith felt her stomach hollow. "X..Xander."  
  
"Quite possibly."  
  
Faith thought back to five years ago. After defeating the First, they'd all fled to a hotel in a near-by town she'd long since forgotten the name of. After a fortnight Xander, probably destroyed over Anaya's death had disappeared one night, never to return.  
  
She'd always felt guilty about not helping Xander after the final battle. G, Red, and Little D had at least the excuse of helping distraught Buffy, but what has she been doing? Sucking face and making like bunnies with Robbie. They'd all ignored Xander's feelings and pushed him away.  
  
She'd never even had the chance to say sorry for the shit she'd put him through. She'd apologised to the others upon her return but had never been able to work up the nerve to approach him. She knew how much she'd hurt and humiliated him, the first ever guy to try and treat her proper. Every time she'd entered a room, she'd sense his sudden tension and the flicker of fear in his eyes. She'd wanted to ease the hurt she'd caused him but didn't know how. And then he'd lost his eye and all thoughts of apologies were lost under more immediate concerns.  
  
When he'd cut and run they'd all looked for him, Red had cast a locater spell but he'd somehow blocked it, all she could tell was that he was alive. The Slayers had blanketed Cleveland looking for him, hell her and B had nearly wrecked the place, Angel had took California apart, something about owing Xander big, G had spent tens of thousands on P.I.s and Cornfed had even used his connections to put out an A.P.B for him. Nothing. After six months they'd finally started to put their lives back together.  
  
Five years on and G was the Council Head in London, Wes ran the U.S. branch from LA, as well as working as liaison to Angel Investigations, while an Oriental friend of G's ran Watcher East from Tokyo. B ran Potential training from London, Little D was a Watcher in training while Red ran the Council's Occult Research Division. As for her, she was the Council's resident trouble-shooter, helping new Slayers get the hang of being chosen, hunting down Master vamps that sort of thing. They'd all gotten on with their lives but they all missed him. She knew G sometimes got drunk over Xander, that Red never worked on his birthday and that she kept a photograph of him on a locket together with her photograph of Snooty. She'd even heard B crying about him.  
  
Faith looked up to see the Watcher patiently waiting. "You tell the others?" she asked, surprised that her voice didn't tremble.  
  
G shook his head. "No, I didn't want to raise their hopes unnecessarily. It might not be Xander. Or," the Watcher hesitated.  
  
"Or what G?"  
  
The Englishman sighed. "It's been five years, Faith. We don't know how he's changed, where he's been or what he'd done. He's made no effort to contact us; he's obviously not interested in talking to us."  
  
Faith took a few seconds to consider what the Watcher had said. "You can't know that G," she protested weakly, "maybe he hasn't been able to find us."  
  
The Englishman raised a sceptical eyebrow. "If he is Vampsdread he'll know enough about the Council to know that I run it and even if he doesn't, if he wanted to get in touch with us, he could try Angel. He's made a conscious effort."  
  
"Hate it when you get all logical with me," Faith groused before nodding, "so what are you saying G?"  
  
"I'm saying that Xander could be hostile to your approach-."  
  
"Never had a guy hostile before," she interrupted with a grin.  
  
"Dear god," the Watcher groaned, "what did I do to deserve getting you as a Slayer?"  
  
"Just lucky I guess."  
  
"Oh yes, every night I go to bed just counting my blessings," the Watcher smiled at her before turning serious. "Faith, I'm sending you on this mission because you know Xander. If I sent another Slayer, one unknown to him, I believe the meeting could have violent possibly fatal consequences. You know him, how to handle -."  
  
Faith snorted. "Yeah, 'cause I did such a good job last time."  
  
"Faith, you've changed, grown as a person since then," she reddened at the praise. "But be careful, Vampsdread has a quite terrifying reputation. We don't know what state of mind Xander is in, I don't want this attempt at regaining Xander to cost us you."  
  
Faith smiled. She felt a warm glow at the concern she heard in the Watcher's voice, she'd finally found the home the scared little kid she'd once been had always wanted. All she needed, all they needed, was Xander's return to make their family complete. Standing, she nodded to the Watcher. "Thanks G, I'll head down to the library and get his file out. How's Robbie doing?"  
  
"Very well, his experiences both as a hunter and your Watcher have made him an excellent Operations director."  
  
She smiled again, but this time sadly. Her relationship with Wood had lasted over three years before breaking up. They'd remained friends but she couldn't help but wonder if he was the one and that she'd screwed up, just like she always did. She'd not been with another man since. She'd learnt that she was worth more than a procession of meaningless one-night stands, a notch on a smooth-talking bastard's bed-stand, something for a loud-mouthed prick to boast about the 'hot slut' he'd scored with the previous night. Something Xander had helped her to realise, another thing he had to thank her for. She'd bring him back, she owed him. 


	2. 2

Vampsdread 2  
  
The tall man looked inside his black leather trenchcoat, quickly examining the weaponry within. Around his trim waist he wore a belt containing a trio of stakes, and two Desert Eagles in a western style cross-draw holster. A 590 Mossberg shotgun hung in a sheath on the inside left of his jacket, while on the right side hung a gleaming Katana. Satisfied that everything was in place, he pulled his cross over his neck, checked his sleeves and set off out of the dingy hotel he was staying in, his blood already pounding with the thrill of the hunt.  
  
Standing six feet tall, the man was dressed entirely in black and even his long, flapping trenchcoat could not hide his muscular physique, muscles that although large didn't hinder his movement but enhanced it, giving him an almost predatory grace. His face was drawn as if he had seen and had done terrible things, things that still haunted him. His most striking feature was the eye-patch covering his left eye. Yet despite his disability it seemed as if the man's remaining brown eye missed nothing, containing as it did a bitter, angry watchfulness.  
  
The entire look resulted in a man that few ignored. Some were repulsed or frightened by him, others were attracted to the air of command and danger that surrounded him. To the man it made no difference - he ignored all onlookers as unimportant.  
  
Finally he stopped outside a boarding house and rummaged in his outer pockets. After reading the note he screwed it up and threw it in a near-by trash can. Turning, the man entered the darkened alleyway beside the boarding house.  
  
Within seconds he was accosted by two burly six footers. "This place is exclusive see," growled one of them, a cockney that uncomfortably reminded the man of a long-dead associate. "You're not welcome."  
  
The man smiled crookedly, vampire bouncer - good a warm-up before the main event. "Aw but I'm welcome everywhere. A party's not a party without me," his smile slipped. "Even if I have to make my own welcome."  
  
Suddenly the man sprang into action. Stepping forward rapidly, he slammed a pair of thudding rights into the cockney's face before turning his attention to the other vampire. Ducking under an overhand right, he smashed a left into the vamp's stomach before flicking his right wrist to produce a stake from up his sleeve. He shoved the stake at the vampire's heart only for his wrist to be grabbed just inches from its target. Thinking quickly, he drove a knee into his rival's groin, his hand free again he plunged the stake into his adversary's heart.  
  
Even before the vampire had exploded into dust, he'd spun round to face the cockney. Smoothly side-stepping a lunge, he stuck a foot into the creature's path, sending him falling face-first into the wall. Before the stunned vampire had chance to recover, he'd grabbed him, spun him round and staked him. "Uh," the man muttered as he coolly surveyed the two dustpiles lying on the ground, "and the fuss the Slayers made about vampires."  
  
After taking a second to focus he moved towards his destination. Six weeks ago word had reached him of an operation buying or kidnapping human girls aged 14 - 20 to use in a demon brothel. Apparently any demon with enough cash could buy a girl for a night and use her in whatever way he wanted. With certain demonic perversions and anatomical differences, the girls didn't last long. But there were always new girls who wouldn't be missed. It had taken him time to track the operation down, but tonight, tonight it ended.  
  
* * *  
  
In all her twelve years, Marie had never been as scared as she was now. Not even when she'd first been kidnapped two weeks ago. She stared up at the snarling green running its scaly paw down her left cheek, choking back a sob as its forked tongue flicked out and licked at her face.  
  
The creature pulled away and nodded at her master, a small fat man who ran the place she was now in. "She's very pretty. No one's used her before?" the creature's voice was a hissing lisp.  
  
The man shook his head; for once her master shared her look of fear. "No sir, she's been disciplined. But not taken, no."  
  
Marie felt her pounding heart thump even faster when the creature turned back towards her, his mouth twisted in a sick parody of a smile; she thought about begging but instinctively knew it wouldn't do any good. Finally the beast nodded slowly, reaching into his pocket and passed a thick was of notes over to her captor. "I'm very happy. I'll take her."  
  
"No you won't."  
  
Marie tore her eyes away from the monster and towards the voice. In the doorway stood a tall man. His clothes were blood-splattered and his one eye was colder than ice but she just knew that this man was a hero like those in the pulp books her daddy read.  
  
In one smooth motion the man brought up the gun in his hand and fired twice, its booming report causing her ears to ring. The green monster's face exploded like an over-ripe pumpkin and his headless body fell to the floor where it lay jerking spasmodically. The man moved lightning-fast, covering the long drawing room in a few long strides. Grabbing her kidnapper around the throat, the man slammed him into the wall.  
  
Her owner's face paled. "I have money, lots of money," he gasped.  
  
The man smiled and cocked his head to the side, as if considering the offer. "Guess what?" he paused. "Don't care." The man thrust a knife into her master's groin and dragged it upwards to his lower belly, causing blood to spew out, before pulling his weapon out and letting the body fall to the ground.  
  
The man turned towards her smiling a goofy smile that Marie knew meant that despite the violence she'd just seen meant she could trust him. Her rescuer crouched down until he was eye to eye with her. "Hi beautiful," his voice was kind and gentle, belying his brutality just seconds ago. "You look like a little girl I once knew. What's your name?"  
  
"Marie, are you going to take me home?" she asked timidly.  
  
"That's the plan." The man offered her his hand. After a second she hesitantly took it. "Marie, I've got to take some other girls to the police but once I've done that, how about I take you back to your parents?" Her rescuer chuckled at her enthusiastic nodding. "Let's go then."  
  
"P..please don't leave me."  
  
Her saviour turned towards her kidnapper, his eyes suddenly cold again. "Until I heard about you I didn't think it was possible to get lower than kiddie porn, but congratulations you managed it. How many girls Brandon? Your establishment has been open five years, must be quite a turnover." The man turned towards her, "Marie sweetie, could you leave the room and close the door behind you?" She nodded and walked out. As she closed the door she heard a series of gunshots. Seconds later, the man appeared and scooped her up into his arms.  
  
The next few hours were a blur. She remembered the sobs of gratitude and dazed expressions on the faces of the girls she'd met that very night as the man had patiently herded them into the back of his van and dropped them at a near-by police station. She remembered being gently lifted from the van's front seat and carried to the front door of the home she'd thought she'd never see again, feeling safer in the stranger's arms than she'd ever felt before. She remembered her mother's tears and her father's look of stunned glee as the man had passed her over to them, explaining he was an agent with the FBI. He'd shown them a card and everything, but it was a lie, she'd never seen a policeman act like that on TV.  
  
And she remembered pulling away from her mother's embrace to hug her hero goodbye. Remembered him ruffling her hair and telling her to be a good girl for her parents before kissing her on the forehead and disappearing into the night, never to be seen again.  
  
* * *  
  
Vampsdread wiped away the tears running from his remaining eye. He didn't usually get so involved in his cases, had never done anything except dump any survivors on the relevant authorities, but Marie had reminded him so much of a little girl he'd once baby-sat and protected, he'd wanted to spend a little extra time with her. His hands shaking, he pulled away from the kerb. Alone again, no joy but no pain either.  
  
* * *  
  
"Heard the news Mr. Crook? Seven girls rescued from a slavery ring just forty miles from here. Reckon the ring has killed nearly two hundred girls. I say gas the bastards!"  
  
"Too painless," he replied automatically to the desk clerk as he signed in. Already he was planning his next mission; he'd heard rumours about a trio of street kids running a hunting operation in Memphis. He'd go down, run a recon, check there wasn't a Slayer in the town and that the hunters weren't indiscriminate, before offering his training.  
  
His mind still going over his options, his usually keen senses failed to register the uninvited guest in his hotel room until she spoke. "Hi Xand, long time no see. So is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?" 


	3. 3

Vampsdread 3  
  
Xander's hand blurred to his holster only to freeze as he recognised the seductively smoky voice. It had been five years but he still remembered her and the others. Thinking quickly, he turned the light on and forced a smile. "Sorry babe, name's Al Cook," he leered at her, "unless you're the hooker the agency sent, then my name's whatever you want it to be."  
  
A smile played on the woman's pouty lips. God she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her long, raven-dark hair was still as lustrous as it had been the last time he'd seen it, her liquid brown eyes were still alluring, inviting in their mystery, and her athletic body still looked as soft and curvy, a contradiction in a woman as strong and tough as her. "Nice try Xman, but I know my exes when I see them."  
  
So his bluff hadn't worked, he'd have to try another tact. Raising an eyebrow he tried for a sneer. "Given your past you must have one hell of a memory then. Now get off my bed and get out Slayer, you look tempting and all, but I haven't had my shots so I'm not risking whatever STD you've got this week."  
  
He saw hurt flicker in the brunette's doe-like eyes but to his surprise she didn't react by storming out or attacking him. Instead, she spoke again, her voice still soft. "My name not Slayer it's Faith, you remember my name don't you Xander?"  
  
His hands began to shake. Not that name again. After a few seconds he'd recovered enough to speak, his voice cool and emotionless, giving no clue to his inner turmoil. "Xander Harris is dead. Harris was a loser, a joker, comic relief. Now there's only Vampsdread. Vampsdread wouldn't let some slut he'd had a meaningless one-night stand with half strangle him to death."  
  
"Meaningless!" the Slayer started to rise before sitting down again, her face red with anger. "It wasn't meaningless to me! It taught me I deserved to be treated with respect, better than the drop 'em and bang 'em merchants I'd been with in the past! As for Xander Harris being a loser - me, B, Angel, and Wood didn't tear half of the U.S. apart searching for a loser! G didn't spend a fortune on PIs for a loser! Riley didn't call in favours to get a nationwide APB for a loser! B and Little D don't still cry themselves to sleep over a loser! Red doesn't wear a locket with the photo of a loser! And losers don't save the world twice on their own and help save it a bunch of times!"  
  
The passion in the woman's words shook him but he refused to show it. "Well Harris is dead, there's nobody but Vampsdread here now!"  
  
"Bullshit Harris you have friends who care for you!"  
  
"Hope you don't include yourself in that, 'cause god knows you've never cared for anybody in your life," he interrupted.  
  
The Slayer shook her head. "You're wrong Xand, I care about people, I care about you. People helped me to learn how, people like the first guy to treat me like a person and not just an object, you remember him - a real sweetheart of a boy." The woman sighed. "Take it from one who knows, you can't build up walls to keep people out. You've got to let them in; people are part of what makes you human."  
  
"Wrong Slayer!" he roared. "It's part of what makes you weak! Makes you a scared little kid that allows his dad to beat you black and blue! Makes you the sort of boy that allows some slut to half-choke you to death! Or the sort of man whose friends ignore him as an inconvenience when the only woman you love dies," he tore his eye patch off revealing the terrible scarring beneath before throwing it to the ground. "Ignore you when you've lost your eye! Vampsdread's better, stronger than Xander ever dreamed of."  
  
"No you're the one whose wrong!" the Slayer stood and began shouting back at him. "Xander was a good kid and a better man! Strong, brave, funny, and kind! The sort of man girls dream about and other guys want for their best friends. Vampsdread might be meaner, faster, and tougher than Xander but he's just an empty shell with a heart as dead as any vamp's! He's not a tenth of the man Xander Harris is!"  
  
He looked away from the beautiful woman's face, unable to meet the fire in her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him. "Please go Slay-, Faith," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Just leave me in peace."  
  
"Peace Xand?" He felt the brunette's strong but gentle hands grip his wrists. "I'm betting you're not feelin' very peaceful right now. This isn't peace it's a prison, I should know remember? You've got friends who miss you, want to see you, help you heal. Want to hear you laugh," Faith chuckled, "even Angel calls once a month to see if there's any news. Although that might be cause he's frightened you'll turn up asking for a job."  
  
He suddenly realised he was crying, heard the brunette gasp, and felt her gently lead and sit him on the side of the bed. He felt her cradle his head in her arms as he sobbed tears not shed in five years as she murmured softly in his ear.  
  
* * *  
  
As she cradled the former Scooby's weeping head in her arms, Faith thought about what had just happened. When Xander had entered the dingy motel room she'd been shocked by how much he'd changed gone was the affable jester with the heart of gold who'd always tried to make her feel welcome and wanted. In his place there was a hard, bitter man who wore his deadliness as a mask, the only man she'd met who was more menacing was Angel. There was something edgy, exciting about the new Xander but she wanted the old one, her friend, back.  
  
It had hurt like hell when he'd called her a slut, especially from someone that looking back she liked and respected. Five years ago and such words would have resulted in her either flying into a rage or storming out. Now though she had the love of her family and her work to give her enough self- worth to brush them aside. Besides, she'd done much worse to him.  
  
Suddenly she realised the man's sobs were subsiding. "how ya feelin?" she whispered as she continued to gently stroke the man's hair.  
  
After a few seconds he answered. "A little better," he replied hoarsely before pausing and lifting his head to look into her eyes. "F..Faith I'm sorry for what I said earlier-."  
  
"It's five by five, Xand no big."  
  
"No it isn't," he replied, startling her with her earnestness. "What I said before might have been true once, but it sure as hell isn't true now. You've cared enough to track down someone who you hadn't seen in five years. That's proof you've changed."  
  
Faith smiled. That was more like the sweet guy she'd known back in the day. "Thanks Xand," she said huskily before gently wiping away the man's tears. "I couldn't give up on you, after all you're the one person who never gave up on me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When I came out of my coma I looked at my sign-in sheet. I only had two visitors, the Mayor and you. Why Xand? After all the shit I put through?"  
  
The demon hunter shrugged, his face reddening. "It didn't cost me anything to spend an hour a week in your hospital room talking to you. No biggie."  
  
"No biggie?" she smiled. "Well it meant a lot to me, later when I realised that you need people."  
  
"I tried to visit you in prison."  
  
Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Tried to, what they wouldn't let you in?"  
  
Xander glanced away, as if ashamed. "I got to the prison gates three times. But I didn't know what to say to you, or if you'd want to see me, or if," the man swallowed, "if you'd attack me. Sorry I let you down."  
  
Faith shook her head in disbelief and chuckled before pulling her old friend around to face her and cupping his face in her hands. "Let me down? You're a damn fool Xand. I'd have loved to see you but after what I did to you I couldn't expect you to visit me," she took a breath, "I'm just glad we're friends now. We are aren't we?"  
  
Xander nodded. "I guess we are."  
  
She smiled. "Thanks Xand. So are you going to tell us why you left? And how the bad ass Vampsdread came into being?"  
  
* * *  
  
The demon hunter sat beside her sighed and nodded slowly. After a few seconds he began to talk, the words stumbling out. "When I lost my eye it hurt," his voice shook, "I made jolly with the pirate jokes, but god it hurt. But the pain was nothing compared to when my Anaya died." She squeezed Xander's thickly muscled shoulder; her gesture received a wan smile. "After the First was destroyed, there was nobody to talk to. Andrew tried, but when a guy tries to compare the death of someone you loved to something that happened in a Sci-Fi film or comic you tend to get pissed off."  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember the black eye and bloody nose you gave him," Faith chuckled. Andrew was a nice enough guy but man he could talk.  
  
Xander smiled again. "Yeah, Dawn tried but I wasn't about to burden a kid with how I felt. The others, well Will and G-Man were busy with Buff, and I didn't know anybody else well enough to talk to."  
  
"Why didn't you ask me?" she asked softly.  
  
"I guess I was judging you by old Faith. Figured you'd just laugh at me, tell me to get laid or something. Sorry I didn't give you a chance -."  
  
Faith smiled sadly. It hurt to hear that, but then again it wasn't like she'd given him any reason to trust her. "Not your fault Xand, my bad. So why did you leave?"  
  
"It was too painful being round Will, Buff, G-Man, and Dawn, every time I looked at them I was reminded of Anaya; I had to get out of make a new start. I knew you guys would try and stop me, so I stole a car and drove, didn't stop until I hit Reno."  
  
"Why Reno?"  
  
"The summer Buff died the second time, Spike and I went up there to scare some false I.D. for him. He knew a dealer in that sort of stuff, while there I got a blocker to Will's locator spells. After that I drifted."  
  
"So how did Vampsdread come out to play?"  
  
Xander grimaced. "Three months after leaving Cleveland I was in New Orleans when I heard the sound of a fight into an alley. I went to investigate and found this Oriental teen fighting two vamps. At first I thought she was a new Slayer, was about to leave her to it when I realised that although she was technically superb, she didn't have a Slayer's strength or speed. She didn't know what she was doing, what she was fighting, so I ran in and staked them for her." "Oh Sir Galahad, another damsel in distress saved," she said breathlessly.  
  
"Funny, real funny Slayer," Xander glared at her for a second. "Anyway, I turned to leave the girl grabbed me, asked me what was going on. I didn't, don't, react well to being touched and a fight kind of broke out. For three seconds, then I was lying on the floor."  
  
Faith blinked, Xander was pretty handy and tough too. She doubted that she could put him down that quickly. "So what happened next?"  
  
"We calmed down; girl introduced herself as Michelle Cheng. Turned out she was a member of a family renowned for their martial arts skills. She dragged me home to meet them. They were sceptical about my story until the family grandfather told them some stories that his grandfather had told him about hunting vampires back in the Orient. Afterwards Michelle's father, Keiji, insisted that he teach me the martial arts as payment for saving his daughter's life." Xander chuckled. "In Cheng's family, one of two things would happen. A member could chose to specialise and compete in one or two disciplines, or spend their lifetime learning several styles for the sheer joy of learning. Keiji took the second approach, so eighteen months later I was an expert in Judo, Aikido, Eskrima, Shoalin Kung Fu, Shotokan Karate, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, and Tae Kwon Do."  
  
Faith's eyes bulged, boytoy sounded like he could almost give a Slayer a match. "Hold on, eighteen months? That sounds awful quick Xand!"  
  
Her friend smirked. "Keiji was a man who took his obligations seriously. Four hours a day, six days a week, with all the family joining in. Plus," Xander hesitated. "you heard about me being possessed by a soldier the Halloween before you came to Sunnydale?"  
  
"Oh yeah," she nodded.  
  
"Well that suit belonged to a very interesting man. Sgt. Bill Hardcastle was born in Detroit in 1949, was state high school in '66 & 67. Signed up straight after graduation and after basic Ranger training was assigned to Operation Phoenix."  
  
"Operation Phoenix?"  
  
Xander's eyes grew haunted, almost as if remembering events he never really experienced. "Operation Phoenix was a top secret unit made up of an assortment of various U.S. forces vets, native scouts, foreign mercs, and smugglers formed to fight the Vietcong on their own terms. It was a collection of the foulest pile of scum in S-E Asia and Hardcastle was just about the only rookie there. He served in the unit working behind enemy lines on assassination, snatch, and sabotage raids until the end of the war winning six medals for bravery."  
  
Faith whistled. "Man sounds like a serious bad boy."  
  
Xander continued as if she hadn't spoken. "After the war had ended he was already a master of several martial arts thanks to formal training and informal lessons from some of the natives in the unit. By then he had a serious interest in learning more so he spent the rest of the seventies touring the Orient learning from various masters and earning the name 'Tall Death', owing to his size and skill. In '80 he returned to North America and started worked as a demon hunter, even ran with two Slayers."  
  
"Slayers? You gotta be shittin'me!" This was fuckin' awesome.  
  
"Nope," the man shook his head. "Toronto '82 for six months and Kansas City '86 for four. Weren't very good, too robotic, couldn't think outside the box. Then in '92, he ran into Kakistos."  
  
Faith ignored an involuntary shudder at the mention of her old nemesis. "turn or kill him?"  
  
"Killed him," Xander's answer was tersely given, obviously he remembered that too. "When I started training with Master Cheng all the knowledge came back, and then it was just a case of picking up the new stuff."  
  
"Okay so that explains how you got the moves, but how did you become Vampsdread?"  
  
The Slayer was rocked by the anguish in her friend's eyes. "After I'd been training for a few months, I started patrolling. Nothing major, just slaying one or two vampires on their own. Unfortunately," the man's breath caught. "After I'd been there about eighteen months I killed the mate of New Orleans' boss demon, a three hundred year old female vamp called Shade. Shade found out where I was living and one night," her companion clenched his fists until the knuckles whitened, "she brought her minions and attacked the family and I on the way back from a meal. We fought hard, between the eight of us we killed more than a dozen vampires but eventually the Chengs were dead and I was unconscious. Shade took me prisoner."  
  
"What happened next?"  
  
Her companion wordlessly removed his black T-Shirt. Faith gasped. The former Scooby's muscular torso was criss-crossed with a variety of scars and burns. "She decided that it was only fitting that I take her dusted mate's place. But before that I had to learn the true meaning of respect. She tortured me for a fortnight. As bad as the whippings, beatings, cattle prods, knifings, and blow-torch were, it was the night she fed on a ten year old child in front of me that made me snap," Xander's voice trailed off.  
  
Suddenly she didn't want to hear anymore. Standing she gently pulled the man's shirt back down. "Xand, you don't have to -."  
  
"No it's ok-," Xander smiled sadly. "Or should I say five by five? Anyway, the girl's death snapped something inside me. I was chained to my cell wall, just handcuffs that would have held a Slayer for maybe a second. But me, well they held me just fine, until I saw the look on that kid's face, then something snapped inside me. Next thing I knew I was outside the nest, I'd killed Shade and her minions. The night Vampsdread was born. I guess the rest is in my Council file. So where you staying tonight?"  
  
Still rocked by Xander's recounting she didn't answer for a few seconds. "Here."  
  
Xander raised an eyebrow. "That's forward even for you."  
  
She grinned back at her friend. "XMan that wasn't forward at all. It's taken me five years to find you I'm not letting you out of my sight. G told me to take as long -."  
  
"Giles knows!" Xander's eyes widened in panic.  
  
"It was him who figured out who Vampsdread was. Been tracking you for 2 months. Don't worry the others haven't got a clue. So where am I sleeping?"  
  
Xander looked around the room. "You have the bed, I'll take the chair."  
  
"We could share," she offered with a rare tentativeness.  
  
The man chuckled and shook his head. "Last time we shared a bed I ended up being thrown out. I'll stick to the chair thanks." 


	4. 4

A/N: Angel didn't take over Wolfram & Hart in this fandom.  
  
Vampsdread 4  
  
Ethan Rayne threw his book to the floor and kicked it across the threadbare carpet. "It has to be somewhere!" he fumed as he searched through his cluttered desk. For five years he'd watched as his old companion Ripper had risen in power while he'd been forced to toil in obscurity, hiding from the U.S. government. Not anymore, in just a few days he would have a very suitable revenge.  
  
His eyes lightened as he spied a pocket-sized red book. 'Curses Through The Ages'. "Just the bloody thing!" Snatching up the book he began rifling through its yellowed papers, a grin spreading across his face. He glanced up at the shelves stacked across the damp wall, his eyes searching for the required ingredients, grabbing a couple of packets and a bottle he threw them into a glass flask creating a bubbling, greyish gas with a pungent stench that filled the room. "That should do it," he muttered before hastily drawing a drawing a pentagram in yellow chalk on the floor. Finally finished he started reading out an incantation in a pre-human language.  
  
He'd barely finished when a shimmering pulsing red portal opened up and a trio of figures strode through into his living room. His face paled. "Oh bloody hell. That wasn't supposed to happen."  
  
The mage's eyes bulged when the largest of the three figures raced forward and grabbed him around the throat. He opened his mouth to grovel and plea for his lives but his words were cut off when his attacker reached out a scaled hand and tore his head off.  
  
* * *  
  
Faith stretched sinuously before staring at the man snoozing on the chair beside her bed. Damn she bet sitting in that chair all night would be murder on a guy's back but Xander wouldn't have dreamed trying to use that as an excuse to get in bed with her. "Still acting the gent after all these years, Xman?" she muttered with a smile before reaching across and gently shaking the man's shoulder, "hi Xand."  
  
After a few seconds the man's eye flickered open and he smiled crookedly. "Morning Faith."  
  
"You often drool onto your collar Xand?" she asked with a grin.  
  
"Only when I'm sleeping in a room with you Faith."  
  
Faith's eyes widened in delight. "Smooth Xand, very smooth. Don't remember you being so James Bond back in the day, more Austin Powers."  
  
"Do I make you horny baby?"  
  
Faith roared with laughter. "Hate to burst your bubble, not hardly XMan!"  
  
Xander sighed theatrically. "I'm crushed."  
  
"You packing for the flight to England?" she asked hopefully.  
  
She was disappointed when Xander's face tightened and paled. "I can't Faith," his voice shook slightly.  
  
Hating the pain in her friend's face she reached out and squeezed his arm. "Why Xand? They all miss you like crazy."  
  
Her friend turned away from her. "I know Faith, but there's a part of me that's scared."  
  
"Scared, that doesn't sound like the Xander Harris I know," she replied softly.  
  
"That Xander Harris died in the ruins of Sunnydale."  
  
The man started to rise but she blocked his way. "Xander honey, you can't bottle things up. Talk to me."  
  
"No Faith," Xander shook his head, "now get out of my way."  
  
She began to shake her head but the man rose and attempted to push past her. Reacting instinctively, she snatched at his arm, grabbing at his wrist and twisting, sending the man falling onto the bed. Instantly she was on top of him pinning him to the bed, a grin on her face. "Come on Xand, talk."  
  
"Or what? Will you try and strangle me again?"  
  
Faith felt the air leave her lungs at the man's coldly delivered words. All at once she was back in that grimy hotel room, a room not unlike the room they were in now, crouching over Xander, taunting him about his helplessness even as she got off on his fear. "Fine," she got to her shaky feet, her stomach hollowing out in pain, "you don't want to talk, you don't have to." Turning she made for the bathroom, her face carefully held blank to avoid her hurt from showing.  
  
"Damn it," she heard Xander mutter, felt his hand on her shoulder spinning her round to face his remorseful expression. "Faith I'm sorry. It freaked me out when you jumped on me. Please, if you'll just sit down I'll tell you."  
  
"I understand you not trusting me, it's not like I ever gave you a reason to," Faith glanced towards the room's muddy grey carpet.  
  
"I do trust you," Xander swallowed, "if I didn't I wouldn't tell you what I did. I wouldn't dare."  
  
Faith looked up. This sounded interesting. "Okay," she followed the man back to the bed and sat down.  
  
After a few seconds Xander began to speak. "Last night, before we met, I'd just come back from destroying a demon brothel."  
  
Her mouth dropped open as she made the connection. "The slavery ring on TV?"  
  
Her companion nodded. "The owner was a human. I stuck a knife in his groin and dragged it up to his stomach, then shot him in his elbows and knees before blowing his brains out, just after sending a twelve year girl he was selling to a demon out of the room."  
  
Faith forced back the urge to puke. "I'm not gonna lie to you, that's pretty heavy shit Xand. But you've got to remember that kid and all the other girls you saved. Courts wouldn't have done shit with him, some slimly law firm like Wolfram & Hart would have -." Her voice trailed off. "Xand, it wasn't you?"  
  
"Who bombed Wolfram & Hart? Yeah, I heard about them trying to assassinate Cordy, I knew Deadboy would protect her but not go after them directly. I don't have his scruples." Her friend stared at the wall opposite. "I've killed plenty of human scum over the past few years - warlocks, corrupt lawyers, drug dealers, assassins, that sort of thing. I think I've done the right thing, but I never thought I'd be confronted by any of you again," Xander turned towards her, pain written large across his face, "I've always tried to do what I believed in but I'm scared of seeing the disgust in Buff and Will's faces, disappointment in G-Man's, and Dawn being frightened of me."  
  
"Xand that's just dumb. They forgave me and I killed innocents, all they want is their Xman back. They still love you," Faith bit her bottom lip, just saying the word made her nervous, afraid of being laughed at, "we all do."  
  
Xander seemed to miss her admission. "Maybe," the man shook his head, "but I'm not the joker they remember. I've changed. Faith, they might hate me."  
  
"Never happen," Faith replied. She smiled slightly as an idea occurred to her, maybe by talking about them she could tempt him into coming back. "I suppose you want to know how everybody's doing?"  
  
Xander nodded. "That'd be good."  
  
"G's the head of the Council now. He's doing a wicked job too. Changed the training, made the Watcher-Slayer relationship more informal than the old shit, plus each Slayer gets a Wicca, and a fighter to back 'em up. Slayers are lasting way longer."  
  
"Wicca and fighter?" a smile flickered across Xander's face. "Sounds familiar."  
  
"Yeah," Faith grinned in reply, "just a shame there's a shortage of werewolves, cheerleaders, and psychos. B runs the potential training now. Been retired from active Slaying for two years now. Red runs the Occult Research Division, oh, and she's got a three year old daughter, Alexandria."  
  
"So she's swapped back to guys again?" despite his jokey tone Faith saw Xander furtively wipe at his eyes at the mention of Alexandria.  
  
"No, she used some sort of fertility spell, don't ask, don't know don't wanna. She's still with Kennedy," Faith was unable to keep the disdain out of her voice.  
  
"You don't like her?"  
  
"First birthday after you disappeared Red was upset and had an argument with Kennedy. I was walking past her when I heard her talking to a potential, saying she didn't know what the big deal was over that loser Harris. I lost it and kicked her ass around three floors of Watcher Keep 'til B arrived and stopped me. When I told her what Ken had been saying, B took over laying the smack down. Then G turned up, stopped us, found out what Ken had said. Man, for a stuffy English guy he can swear. I was taking notes!"  
  
"I always thought Kennedy was uppity, I tried to like her for Willow but, probably something to do with being born into money. What about the Dawnster?"  
  
"Pip's a Watcher In Training."  
  
"What!" Xander eyes widened in shock. "And Buff let her!"  
  
"Pip's got a mind of her own, Xand. You probably know about Wes being the head of Watcher West," at her friend's nod she continued, "Red's managed to anchor Angel's soul permanently so he's five by five, still running the agency fighting the good fight. Queen C got hitched to Angel's best bud Gunn."  
  
"And what about you Faith? Way I heard it Slayers can retire when they hit 24, and you'll be what 25-26 now?"  
  
She shrugged uncomfortably and glanced down at the floor. "Slaying's the only thing that makes me special."  
  
The man's hands gently gripped her face, pulling her up to look into his one eye. That's crap Faith. There's plenty that's special about you - your heart, sense of humour, and bravery for starters."  
  
She smiled at the praise. "Thanks Xand." "No problem. What about you, you and the principal still getting pelvic?"  
  
"N..no. We broke up twenty months ago," and three weeks and two days but who's counting? Unwilling to allow Xander to see the pain on her face she glanced away.  
  
"He hurt you?"  
  
Her head snapped round at Xander's growl. Her blood froze at the primal fury in his eye. God, she licked her lips nervously, Xand had turned into a seriously scary guy. Reaching out tentatively she took her companion's hand. "Wood hurt me? No, we just wanted diff stuff. He wanted me to retire and start a family but," Faith paused, "I knew I'd be crap at it."  
  
Her friend's face relaxed. "Gotta side with Wood on this one, Faith. You'd make a great mom, after your's you know what to do, you've got a good heart and plenty of love to give. Buff and Dawnie would love being aunts and I can just see G-Man with a brood of grand-kids. Any chance you can get back together?"  
  
"No," she shook her head, it still hurt to talk about it. "He got engaged six months ago to a Watcher, she's three months pregnant now."  
  
Her friend hugged her. "His loss Faith," he whispered in her ear, "I bet the queue's round the block for you."  
  
Faith smiled at the compliment. "Only trouble is nobody matches up to the guys I hang with. Girl's got high standards now."  
  
"And that's what you deserve. Say I've got an idea - Andrew. If anyone can turn him hetro it's you," her friend chuckled and stood, "so you want go spar?"  
  
She smiled brightly. "Sounds like a plan Xand." Boytoy you're going to pay for that remark, she silently vowed.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander's breath caught as the Slayer walked through the gym door dressed only in a matching black sports bra and cotton shorts. All activity in the busy gym stopped as every male and most females turned towards her. He watched as she brushed aside a couple of advances while making her way through the free weights area and onto the practice mats. He shook his head in admiration. "You still know how to make an entrance."  
  
"Why thank you kind sah," the brunette purred as she took up position opposite him. The Slayer winked at him. "See anything you like?"  
  
"Oh yeah." God he'd forgotten how beautiful she was. He grimaced as he noted the gathering crowd, drawn by his companion's looks and magnetism. Great, a mob to watch his humiliation. "Ready?"  
  
Faith smiled crookedly. "Don't hold back."  
  
"Oh I won't." Racing forward he feinted with a drop of his left shoulder before delivering a right palm strike to his adversary's chest. Faith grunted slightly before unleashing a kick at his ribs that he caught at the ankle. Before the brunette had chance to pull loose, he swept away her grounded foot, sending her plummeting to the ground only for Faith to somehow twist in mid-air and land on her feet eliciting a round of scattered applause from their onlookers.  
  
"Seems like somebody got some fans," Xander commented.  
  
Faith shrugged. "What's a girl to do? Wherever I go crowds follow."  
  
"Yeah you're like the fifth Beatle." He lunged forward, striking with a right cross as he did so. The Slayer grabbed his arm at the wrist and jerked, pulling him toward her. He allowed himself to be propelled towards the Slayer, waiting until he was in range before snapping out a left hook that exploded against the brunette's right temple staggering her and forcing her to release her grip on his arm. Immediately he followed up with a right hook that the brunette slid beneath before hooking him in the ribs.  
  
Xander grunted as the air left his lungs and he stumbled backwards. "Memo to self, avoid being hit by a Slayer," he muttered. God, he'd forgotten how strong one of them was.  
  
"That left hook was pretty smooth Xand," Faith praised as she stalked him. "How about a little wager?"  
  
He pushed aside the crowd's excited mutterings to concentrate on his adversary, watching her eyes for any narrowing that would indicate an attack. "What do you have in mind?"  
  
"Loser buys dinner at restaurant of winner's choice," Faith chuckled, "I don't fancy eating at Wendy's Whoppers."  
  
"You know me so well," he arched an eyebrow, "but after this I doubt I'll be in any condition for dinner tonight."  
  
"Who said anything about tonight?"  
  
"Why not then?" Stepping forward he flicked out a left heel kick to the knee which Faith effortlessly sidestepped only to walk into the right elbow to the side of her head. Her smile still firmly in place, she retaliated with a pair of lightning-fast body shots that had him groaning and retreating just out of reach of the brunette's follow-up right cross.  
  
After a second he managed to straighten. A deathly hush had fallen over the crowd. "Any time you wanna call it quits X-Man," the Slayer offered.  
  
Ignoring the pain he forced a grin. "Quits? I've not even warmed up yet. Bring it on."  
  
"You crazy bastard," Faith shrugged, "I've always been known as accommodating." The Slayer surged towards him but he sidestepped at the last second, leaving a foot behind. As Faith tripped and stumbled he spun around, driving a kick into her hamstring. The brunette screamed in surprise and fell to the mat, but before he had chance to put her in some sort of choke-hold she was up and moving although slower than before. "Dirty fighting Xand?"  
  
"Whatever works." Sidestepping another charge he tried for another elbow to the head only to catch one of his own to the armpit. Ignoring the pain shooting through his arm and shoulder he spun around to face the Slayer only to be met by a trio of flickering left jabs that bloodied his mouth. Sensing the fight was slipping beyond him he fired out a desperate right cross that Faith swayed away from before grabbing his arm at the wrist and elbow and throwing him to the ground. His body screaming in protest, he rolled back to his feet.  
  
"Xand."  
  
He cut off his rival's worried plea with a shake of his head. The Slayer muttered something under her breath. He grinned, still pissing off the women in his life, it was almost like old times.  
  
This time he attacked first. Covering the space separating them in a couple of strides he slammed a forearm into the bridge of Faith's nose, following it up with a knee to her mid-section and an elbow to the back of the neck as she doubled up from the knee. The brunette fell to the mats but instantly rolled back to her feet, spinning round to face him, an incredulous expression on her bloodied face. "You broke my dose!"  
  
He shrugged, his casualness hiding his worry at the pissed expression on the brunette's face, she looked really hacked off. "Told you it wasn't over."  
  
"Soon will be," the Slayer sprang forward but he leapt forward, meeting her with an UFC style takedown around the waist, hooking her and flinging her to the mat, hoping to pin her there with his greater weight and superior leverage. He instantly realised it was a bad idea when the Slayer's palms shot out, slamming into his shoulders with bruising force and throwing him to a crunching landing on the far end of the mats. With a groan he staggered back to his feet. "That was a real stupid idea Xand," Faith shook her head.  
  
"Forgot how strong you -," his voice trailed off when Faith sprang into a drop kick, leading with her right leg. Eyes widening he ducked beneath the lead foot only for the follow-up knee tucked in beneath to slam into his forehead with concussing force. He hit the mats ass-first, his vision blurred and body aching, he pulled himself back upright.  
  
"Oh for fuck's sake."  
  
He forced a grin. "Not getting sentimental in your old age Faith?" Darting forward, he feinted with a hook before slamming a right chop into the brunette's neck that bounced off with devastatingly little apparent effect before sweeping her legs from beneath her, sending the Slayer tumbling.  
  
His grin faded when the woman executed a flawless backwards somersault to land upright. Her feet had barely touched the ground when she leapt into the air and into a spin kick that crunched into the side of his head, sending him back down onto the back. Groaning he rolling back onto his feet and started to rise. "Xand, I give up, you win, just let this -." Suddenly the world darkened and he crashed back to the ground. 


	5. 5

Vampsdread 5  
  
"So what's the mission Xand?"  
  
"Ten to twelve vamps in a disguised warehouse in the industrial district. Leader's a two hundred year old vamp by the name of Slash on account of his love of knives. I was going to pick them off one by one but now you're here."  
  
As Xander told her about the mission Faith thought about their fight nine days ago. He'd been good, real good, so good in fact she'd forgotten she wasn't fighting a fellow Slayer with enhanced healing and endurance and hadn't pulled her punches much. As a result she'd had to spend the last few days patiently nursing him back to health. It had embarrassed the hell out of him but she'd secretly loved having a reason to get to know a guy she'd largely ignored during her two Sunnydale runs.  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed her friend loading his guns. "How come your guns work against vamps boytoy?"  
  
Xander grinned. "Hollow points with a magnesium flare with a drop of holy water encased in melted down silver crosses."  
  
"Whoa, major shit." She curiously eyed the sword that Xander was sheathing. "You any good with that?"  
  
Her friend chuckled. "Maybe one day I'll show you."  
  
"That right?" Faith raised an eyebrow, "that almost sounds like another challenge."  
  
"Maybe it was."  
  
"Look forward to it," she stood, "you ready?"  
  
Xander nodded, all hint of jocularity left him. "Let's rock 'n' roll."  
  
* * *  
  
Faith sneaked an admiring glance at the man striding beside her. He moved well, quiet, confident. She'd been flying solo since her and Robbie had broken up. The only Watchers she trusted – G and Wes were running their departments while the only other Watcher she'd consider, Gunn, already had a Slayer. Andrew had asked her but she'd only just managed to stop from wetting herself at the thought of the geek as her Watcher. She'd been thinking of asking Little D when the brat finished training but once she'd got Xand back in the fold, maybe she'd grab him. Maybe grab him in more way than one. Reaching out she caught her friend's arm. "Stop Xand," she whispered, "three vamps outside the warehouse."  
  
"Can't see them myself, but don't have your eyes. How we going to deal with them?"  
  
She winked up at her companion. "I'll deal with 'em."  
  
"Fai-," Xander broke off and sighed, "why do I bother? Just be careful."  
  
"Middle name boytoy," she hurried towards the school, a frightened expression on her face. Three vamps, all low in power, she smirked to herself. Shouldn't be a problem. "Excuse me guys. My car's broken down. Do any of you have a mobile?"  
  
"And what do we get for helping babe?" leered one of the vamps, a short powerfully-built man with bushy eyebrows and a boxer's nose.  
  
"This." Springing forward, she thrust a stake through the vampire's heart. Even before he'd exploded into dust, she'd moved onto his astonished companions. Ducking under a wild lunge, she drove a knee into the nearest vampire's groin. As he doubled up she powered her stake upwards into his heart. Spinning round, she blocked a clumsy left hook on her forearm before catching the last vampire with a side kick to the jaw, knocking him down onto his ass. Before he had time to regain his feet she'd slammed a stake into his heart.  
  
She bowed sarcastically at the sound of clapping behind her. "Well thank you kind sah," she purred before glancing over her shoulder and winking at the approaching man.  
  
Xander returned her wink. "Not bad Slayer, but your technique is sloppy."  
  
She stuck her tongue out. "Sloppy? I still kicked your ass remember?"  
  
Xander winced. "Oh yeah, I remember." His face hardened. "Ready?"  
  
Faith swallowed. The way her friend just changed, it was like a switch being flipped, gone was clownish Xander, in his place stood Vampsdread. "Five by five Xand. Front or back?"  
  
"You know me Slayer. Always a direct sort of guy. After you?"  
  
Her right heel smashed into the warehouse's door splintering it in two. Kicking its remains aside, she strode in. "Hi guys, anyone order take- out?"  
  
"God, that's one thing I didn't miss Slayer puns," she heard Xander mutter before raising his voice. "Hi gang. Name's Vampsdread, the good-looking goddess by my side goes by the name of Faith," she grinned at the vampires' frightened murmur, god it felt good to have a rep. "You might want to shit yourselves right about now."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander had barely finished speaking when he sprang into action, leaping towards the nearest two vampires even as they started towards him, drawing his sword as he advanced on his prey. The vampire to his left let out a scream as his katana sliced through the demon's wrists, sending blood spurting and his hands falling to the ground. "Oh shut up," Xander ended the vampire's screeching with a quick thrust through the demon's heart with his katana's wooden tip.  
  
Feeling a pair of strong hands grab his shoulders from behind he stepped backwards, driving his right heel into his assailant's shin. The vampire let out a pained shriek but refused to release his grip. Xander's eyes widened at the approach of another vampire from the front, his fangs bared to tear into his throat. "I hate being lunch." With a grunt of effort he threw his legs into the air powering his feet into the on-rushing vampire's stomach while at the same time driving the back of his head into the face of the vampire behind him, shattering bone.  
  
Released from the vampire's grip but with his legs still in the mid-air, he fell to the ground. Ignoring the jarring impact he rolled back to his feet. Realising that he was still trapped between the two vampires, he backwards somersaulted over the one behind him, his feet smashing into the vampire's shoulder blades, propelling him into the other vampire, sending them both crashing to the ground.  
  
Upon landing, he rushed towards the crumpled vampires. He decapitated the first, but as he turned towards the second he was caught by a kick to the guts that caused him to double up and retreat. Ignoring the pain in his side he straightened, sidestepped the vampire's charge before swinging his sword up to slice the vampire's head off.  
  
Out of the corner of his good eye he saw a vampire approaching. He snapped out a side-kick but his extended leg was grabbed and yanked, pulling him towards the vampire and into a hard right that he caught on his forearm before slamming his free fist into the vampire's throat, staggering his adversary and causing his foot to be released. Letting out a furious howl the vampire lunged at him, his claws raking at his throat. Xander leaned away from the tearing claws before slamming the pommel of his katana into the vampire's face, knocking him back a step. Taking advantage of the vampire's distress he swung his blade at the demon's neck only for the demon to duck beneath and come up inside his guard with a punch to the ribs. Ignoring the bruising pain, he brought up a knee into the vampire's groin before slicing its head off.  
  
Even as the vampire exploded into dust, a hand dropped onto his shoulder. Reacting instantly he snapped an elbow backwards, connecting with his assailant's face with a crunch. "Fuck Xand!"  
  
"Oh shit," wincing he turned to face the fuming Slayer. "Sorry Faith," he shrugged, "honest mistake."  
  
"Honest mistake, you nearly took my eye out with that!" the Slayer rubbed at her rapidly swelling eye for emphasis.  
  
"Believe it or not you're not the first woman to say that."  
  
Faith raised an eyebrow. "Shit it's grown since back in the day."  
  
Ouch, Xander winced but recovered quickly. "Maybe you didn't get the best out of me."  
  
Faith chuckled. "Xander honey," the brunette put on a husky voice. "You know I always get the best out of my men."  
  
Xander felt himself reddening, deciding it was best to get out of this one before something inadvisable happened, he nodded. "You'll be alright for tonight though?"  
  
The brunette nodded. "With Slayer healing I'll be five by five in an hour or so. There's no fucking way I'm letting you out off this meal, especially after all the effort I went through to beat you."  
  
Xander shook his head. "I seem to remember someone giving up."  
  
"I seem to remember someone lying at my feet in a heap," the Slayer shot back, "'Course if you wanna a re-match. Double or nothing?"  
  
"No it's okay, I'll let you have your highly tainted win."  
  
The Slayer raised an eyebrow. "Tainted uh?" her forehead furrowed in puzzlement, "Xman, why didn't you use the guns?"  
  
He shrugged. "I only use the guns when I'm working on my own or in an emergency. I don't like risking hitting a human." Uncomfortable with the conversation, he turned to the warehouse entrance. "Let's get out of here."  
  
* * *  
  
"Five by five." Faith watched the man's back as he walked out of the warehouse. "Xman," she muttered under her breath. "When the fuck did you turn into the American Ninja?" She'd never seen a man fight like him, Wood wouldn't last five seconds against him, he'd taken some blows that would put a normal man down on his ass without faltering, and returned the vampires' attacks with punishing assaults that she'd never seen another human male capable of delivering. When she'd trained with him she knew he was good but tonight he'd been at a whole different level. When she'd got him back, she was definitely claiming him as her Watcher.  
  
* * *  
  
"Have I told you how great you look tonight Faith?"  
  
She grinned at the compliment. They were in an eatery, dining by candlelight in one of the city's most exclusive restaurants, the patrons' whispering mutterings accompanied by the understated playing of the string quartet stood on the podium at the front of the restaurant even as the guest were tempted by the wonderful aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Although it didn't fit with her tough girl image she secretly loved eating in places like this and wearing the sequined cocktail dress that came with it, to her it reinforced how far she'd come from her trailer park trash origins, how despite what her ma had always said she'd become someone. "You mentioned it yeah," she replied, "but a girl can always do to hear it again."  
  
The man snorted. "Like you didn't already know."  
  
"True," she nodded in acknowledgment, "but you wanna say it again, you're welcome."  
  
"Well I'm thinking screw the restaurant, you look good enough to eat."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Damn Xand, you really are cheap. You'll do anything to avoid springing for a meal won't ya?"  
  
Xander chuckled. "Have you seen the prices?"  
  
"Sir, Madam," Faith glanced up at the smartly dressed waiter, "could I take your order?"  
  
Xander nodded. "I'll have the broiled chicken once, hold the sauce, the salmon, an order of salad without the mayo, and broiled brown rice please. Faith?"  
  
Faith took a second to collect her thoughts. "I'll have two medium rare 16 oz steaks, an order of barbecued chicken wings, two bowls of fries, oh and the onion rings and garlic bread." Hell someone else was paying, might as well make them really pay. She looked up at the dazed-looking waiter. "Well what you waiting for hon? You don't get the tip 'til afterwards."  
  
Once the waiter had disappeared Xander let out a laugh. "I forgot how much Slayers ate, but garlic bread and onion rings?" the man shook his head, "I'm just glad we're not making out tonight."  
  
Faith pushed away the surprising feeling of disappointment at the thought of them not making out before replying. "What about you Xman, what happened to the junk food junkie?"  
  
Xander turned serious. "I don't have your advantage Faith. Sensi Cheng," there was a world of respect in the man's voice, "taught me all about nutrition and meditation as part of my studies. After all a normal joe needs every edge he can get."  
  
Faith nodded thoughtfully as she sipped at her red wine. Despite the man's words she was starting to realise Xander was anything but normal. 


End file.
